EarthWorks' 9th Annual EARTH Award Nominations Sought

Awards to be presented by Mayor Dick Murphy

by Alice Martinez

an Diego EarthWorks is seeking individuals, organizations and businesses in San Diego County that should be acknowledged for their special actions on behalf of the environment and our quality of life.

    Each year, EarthWorks acknowledges individuals and organizations with their EARTH Awards (Environmental Action and Restoration That Helps), presented at their annual VIP (Very Important Planet) Reception. This year, the VIP Reception will be held on May 14. The event is presented in partnership with the City of San Diego Department of Environmental Services, who will also present their Recycling Awards, and the Air Pollution Control District who will present their Clean Air Award. Mayor Dick Murphy will be presenting the EARTH Awards to the winners.

    Citizens can help out by taking a few minutes to fill out a nomination form and mailing or faxing it to EarthWorks. Nomination forms can be obtained from the EarthWorks website, www.earthdayweb.org, or by calling the office at (858) 272-7370. Individuals and businesses may nominate themselves. The deadline for submissions is April 15, 2003.

    EarthWorks is asking the help of the general public to find candidates. “In their daily life, people encounter individuals or groups worthy of acknowledgment,” said Julaine Chattaway-Rich, EarthWorks Executive Director. “It could be a student that has setup a recycling program at their school... a restaurant that has converted to recycled paper products... a business that has replaced water-intensive plants around their facility with drought-tolerant native species... a government department that has eliminated pesticide use... a nonprofit organization that is promoting zero-emission vehicles... the list of possibilities is endless.”

    All too often, people making extraordinary efforts on behalf of the environment and our quality of life are unappreciated beyond their small circle of associates. EarthWorks' EARTH Awards help give these individuals and groups the wider acknowledgment they deserve, and will encourage others to follow their example.

    San Diego EarthWorks San Diego EarthWorks is a network of volunteers in service for a healthy, prosperous and sustainable future for all living things. For more information, please visit their website: www.earthdayweb.org.